Gasoline saver and vapor lock remover



` June 6, 1939..` F C; DALTON 2,161,409

' GASOLINE SAVER AND VAPOR LOCK REMOVER Filed Jan. 24, 1958 2 sheets-sheet 1 Fig. 2.

f? O. DQ/f@ Mffbwy @ms d Junes, 1939. F C; DALTON 2,161,409

GASOLINE SAVER AND VAPOR LOCK REMOVEE Filed Jan. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheetv 2 2 i m l;

"in ucnhvo Patented June s, '193e Frederick C. Dalton, Portland, Oreg., assign'or o! one-fourth to W. Il. Darby, Salem, Oreg., and f one-fourth to E. R. Dalton, Portland, Oreg.

Application January 24,

icas, serial No. 186,112

'9 claims. (cl. 12a- 119) My invention-relates to the art of internal combustion engines and particularly to the chargeformingand controlling mechanism thereof. In

modern engine practice, where the gasoline to and from the carburetor is often heated to high tem- Deratures, vaporizatlon occurs in the feed line and causes what is known as vapor lock', which often causes stalling of the engine'. It also happens that carburetors are not always 'adjusted-.to

. o r capable of giving the most eiilcient mixture.

, which results in waste of fuel with a consequent low mileage per gallon of gasoline factor for the vehicle. Again, owing to the vent to atmosphere in the gasoline 'storage tank, considerable gasoline vaporislost. Y f It is to4 overcome the above deiiciencies that my apparatus has. been devised. y

.Other objects will in part be obvious and in part will -be pointed out hereinafter. I To the attainment of the aforesaid objects^ andf ends the' invention still further residesr in those. novel details of construction, combination and arrangementfof parts,vall of which will .be ilrst fully described in the following detailedidev 35 scription, -and then will be pointed out ,in the.

appended '.claims, Areference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:- y A Figure 1 is .an elevationy (the arrangement of the being schematic) of apor'tion of an 3o engin and the gasoline Itank andthe exhaust P199., Ulppcdwithmyinventiom f l .l'l `e 2 vis ah enlarged detail elevation and tion ,of the gasoline tank, equipped'with .s my' invention.' 3'; 'Figure ,3Iisjanenlarged detail-.vertical section showienfth va y1 land., gasoline heating deviceand the'val c une rgrsgff.;

` 811 HWS Section on the line valve chamber I3 by the usual ports to the chambers .24 and 25 respectively,

'ports -of these chambers.

vcelerator pedal (not shown) is connected, as will more fully appear later.

T he gasoline storage tank Il isv provided with a vapor tank I4 on top, which tank I4 communicates with the tank I l through a suitable screen 5 2l. The ller cap 55, when my invention is used,

is unperiorated or ventless.'

vGasoline is conveyed from tank l I to the float- Figure 1); n

The vapor tank I4 carries an air vent manifold I5 from whichr a series of small tubes l5 prof ject into the tank Il and have their outlet ends arranged to. dischargethe air at diieren't levels and different places beneath the surface of the u gasolineln tank I I (see Figure 2). The manifold I5 receives heated ,-air from an air heater Il by means of a pipe Il. The heater Il receives heat from the exhaust pipe on 'which it is mounted. suitable air inlets l! being provided in the heater I3..

lReferring nowparticularly to Figures- 3 and 4, it will beseen that a heater 22 is secured to the hot-spot" portion 4 ofthe manifold 2 by cap screws 55, or by anyoth'er suitable means.

The casing of the heater 22 ischambered and the chambered portion is. divided into two separate chambers 24` and 25 by a partition 23, these chambers being provided with removable caps 25 and 21 respectively.. The` casing is also vbored to provide a valve chamber 23 for the control va1ve32. Y l 29 and. Il indicate the valve controlled inlet while 45and 5l designate the respective outlet The valve $2 has a recess 3|A to receive thep valve closing spring and it also has passes. 33, and 34 for registering with ports 23- and 3l respectively. when the valve is' in the open position. The valve 32 has a stem. with an admoved to its open position by a bell-crank lever 38 pivcted" at 33 and connected to the rocking lever 4l by a rod 43. Y.

A nother rod 42 connects lever 4l to lever Il so that both valves 3 and32 are operated together. I ever4l is suitably pivoted at 4l and is connected with the accelerator pedal (not shown) bythe rod 44. 'f

A pipe- 52 connectsport 5| to the intake mani- 46 connects port 45 to the air i'nlet end 'I ofthe carburetory 5, the latter conlnection being made by-means ci an annular plug having aniitnnulargroove 4l to which the pipe line l2 (see l j usting nut 3 V(ifortiming adjustments) and is branches 41 of pipe 46 lead. 'Ihe center of the plug being open serves as an air inlet 50 for the usual air supply to the carburetor.

A pipe 53 conducts vapors from tank I4 to chamber .via port 30, whiley'a similar pipe 54 conducts vapors from tank I4 to chamber 24 via port 29.

' Operation When rod 44 pushed forward to rock lever clockwise inFigure. 3 both valves 9 and 32 are actuated through rods 42 and 43 and. levers vI0 and 38 respectively. The suction ofthe motor will then draw vapors from tank I4 --via pipes 53-*54' to heater 22, to manifold 2 via pipes 52, at intake ports and to carburetor 5 via pipe 46. As the vapor passes through the heater 22 it is heated to gaseous form before passing to the motor via manifoldand carburetor, which effects Of course, as gasoline and vapors :are withdrawn from `tanks I I and I4, warm air enters via I8, l1, I5, I6 to prevent formation of a partial vacuum.

a considerable saving of gasoline andincreases the gasoline-mileage factor accordingly.

vWhen valve 32 is opened the draw on the needle valve in the carburetor is considerably less than .usual and this, together with the use of the vapor that would ordinarily be lost, enables engines which 'are equippedwith my invention to operate at the highest efllciency. While I have illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention,'1 desire it understood that changes and modifications can be made lwithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation and advantag s'of the vinvention will be clear to those skil ed in the art to which it appertains.

What IA claim is: 1.1In apparatus of the class described, in combination with an engine having 'an intake mani- Y fold, a carburetor having a throttle valve, a fuel inlet, an air intake and means delivering air and fuel mixture to ,said manifold via said throttle valve, a gasoline tank and a pipe line for conveying gasoline from said-tank to said fuel inlet, of means for drawing vapors from the gasoline tank and delivering Ia part of thesame directly to said intake manifold by the suction vof the engineand another. part directly tothe air intake of said carburetor, and means controlling.A

fuel mixture to said manifold via said throttle valve, Ia gasoline tank and a pipe linev for conveying gasoline from said tank to said fuel inlet', oi'A means for drawing vapors from the gasoline tank and delivering a part of the same directly to said intake manifold by the suction of the envalve, a gasoline tank and a pipe line for conveying gasolinefrom said tank to said fuel inlet', of means for drawing vapors from the gasoline tank and delivering a part of the same directly to said intake manifold by the suction of the engine and another part directly to the air intake of said-carburetor, means 'controlling the ow of said. vapors in harmony with the action of said 2 5 throttle valve,v a vapor heater mounted on said intake manifold and through which said vapors are drawn before delivery to said intake manifold and said carburetor, and. means for drawing heated air into said tank to displacethe vapors 3Q' andgasoline withdrawn from the tank.

'5, In a motorvehicle having a gasoline tank,

an internal combustion engine that has intake and exhaust manifolds, an exhaustpipe, a liquid fuel carburetor, and a connection for convey- 3,1

ing gasoline from said tank to said carburetor;

' a fuel-saving and vapor-lock preventing appaf ratus comprising a vapor-collecting space carried by the gasoline tank, a pipe line connecting said space'to the vintake manifold of .the engine, an- '40 other pipe lineconnecting said lvapor-collecting space with the air inlet of the carburetor, aI common heater connected in said pipe lines for heat.-

fing the vapors passing through said lines, -a valve device controlling the flow of vapors through said heater, a throttle valve controlling said carburetor, and means simultaneouslyl actuatingboth of said valves. 1

- the flow of said vapors in harmony with'the action of said throttle valve.

. 2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with an engine having an intake manifold, a carburetor having a throttle valve, a'fuel inlet, an air intake and means delivering air andfuel mixture tosaid manifold via said throttle valve, Aa gasoline tank and a pipe line for con- 6. In a motor vehicle having 8# gasoline tank,

an internal combustion engine that has intake andexhaust manifolds, an exhaust pipe, 'a liquid fuel carburetor,. and -a connection for `convey ing gasoline from said tank to said carburetor; a fuel-savingfand vaporlock preventing itlll'lil'- rams-comprising a vapor-collecting space carried by the gasoline tank, a pipe line connecting` said -spaceto the intake manifoldy of the engine, another pipe line `connecting said vapor-collecting.

veying gasoline from said tank to said fuel` inlet,

'of means' for drawing vapors-from thegasoline tank and delivering a part of the same directly to said intake manifold by the suction'of the engine and-another part directly to the air intake of said carburetor, means controlling, the

` now of said`vapors in harmonywith the action of said throttle valve,'and a vapor heater mount- 'ed on said'intake manifold and through which said vapors are drawn before delivery to said f intake manifold and said carburetor.

3. In apparatus of the class described,

I bination with an Aexigirle having an intakemanifold, a carburetor'having a throttle valve, a fuel inlet, an air intake and means-delivering air and :an internal `combustion .engine that has intake.

space-with the air inlet of the carburetor, a common heater connected in said 'pipe lines for heat? w iigthe vapors through said lines. a valve device controlling the now of vapors through said heater, a throttle '-valve controlling said carburetor, means simultaneously actuating both of said valves, an air heater, and means operable by the suction in the gasoline tank.' as gasoline and-vae4 pors are withdrawn therefrom, for conveying air from said air heaterv and delivering it into said gasoline tank.

'1. I n a motor veniciehaving a Agermline and exhaust manifolds,\an exhaust pipe, a liquid fuelcarbugetgr, and' a connection forconveyl ing gasoline from said tank 'to said carburetor;

`a fuel-saving and vapor-lock preventing appa- .u

' said space' tothel intake manifold of the engine,

another pipe line connecting said vapor-collecting space with the air inlet of the carburetor, a common heater connected in Said pipe lines for heating'the vapors passing throughsaid lines, a valve device controlling` the ilow of vapors through said heater. a throttle valve controlling said carburetor, means simultaneously actuating both of said valves, an air heater, and means ailected by the suction in the Ygasoline tank, as`

gasoline -and vapors are withdrawn therefrom, for conveying air from said air heater and delivering it into said gasoline tank belowv the liquid level and at a number of different points.

8. In apparatus for the purposesdescribed. a

vapor heater designed for mounting on thel hotspot portion of the intake manifold of an. engine, said heater comm'lsing a body having two/ separate vapor heating chambers, inlet and outi let ports .for the respective chambers and a valvereceiving bore intersecting the inlet ports, a single valve m said bore to control une inlet ports of' both chambers, and spring means normally holding said valve closed, in combination with a duct fromone oi' said chambers tothe intake manifold of an internal combustion engine and a duct from the other oi'l said chambers to the air inlet -of the carburetor of the engine, and means to conduct gasoline vapors to said inlet ports.

9. In an apparatus for supplying fuel vapor, to an engine having an intake manifold and a. carburetor, a body having two separate vaporreceiving chambers, inlet and outlet ports for th respective chambers, and a. valve-receiving bore intersecting the inlet ports.`a single valve in said bore for controlling the inlet ports of both chambers, and spring means normally holding said valve closed, means for conveying vapor from one of said chambers to the intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, means for conveying vapor from'the other of said chambers to the air-v inlet ot the carburetor of that engine, and means' to conduct gasoline vapors separately to said inlet ports.

' FREDERICK C. DALTON. 

